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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Donald Trump has been "impeached forever" in a dismissal of the commander-in-chief's likely acquittal should the articles of impeachment be handed to the Senate.
The leading Democrat told The Associated Press that Trump had "violated the Constitution" and witnessed "the power of the gavel" during the full House vote on two articles of impeachment Wednesday.
She also gave credit to her Democratic colleagues in the House, saying all members were "making their own decision" at the vote—which saw three Democrats break with their party on at least one of the articles of impeachment, while a fourth voted "present."
The articles of impeachment approved by the House charged President Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Lawmakers passed the first article with a 230-197-1 vote and the latter charge by 229-198-1.
Both articles concerned the president's alleged attempt to pressure the Ukrainian government into opening investigations into political rival Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
President Trump has repeatedly denied charges brought against him and dubbed the impeachment process a "hoax" and "witch hunt" with partisan motivations. He is only the third president in American history to be impeached.
Speaking to AP in an interview on Thursday, Speaker Pelosi said: "He'll be impeached forever. No matter what the Senate does. He's impeached forever because he violated our Constitution."
The California Democrat went on to say President Trump "saw the power of the gavel" when it sealed the votes in favor of both articles of impeachment.
"And it wasn't me, it was all of our members making their own decision," Pelosi told AP.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for a response to her comments but did not receive a reply by time of publication.
The Speaker's remarks to AP about Trump's impeachment came a day after the president hit back at her and other Democrats at a Battle Creek, Michigan rally following the vote on Wednesday.
"Through their depraved actions today, crazy Nancy Pelosi's House Democrats have branded themselves with an eternal mark of shame," Trump told supporters at the Kellogg Arena.
He also wrote an open letter to Pelosi ahead of the impeachment vote, saying "more due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials."
Despite the House's approval of the two articles of impeachment against the president, it is unclear when, or if, Democrats will hand them over to the Republican-controlled Senate for a trial of Trump under the charges.
When House Democrats applauded approval of the articles, Speaker Pelosi shot them a look and gestured for them to stop applauding the vote.
